Les Thornton Bio

On saxophone and alternate percussion is Jacksonville Beaches own Les Thornton.

Les started as a jazz performance major while at the University of Southern Mississippi-Hattiesburg, playing with such jazz greats as NBC Orchestra trumpeters Doc Severinsen & Bobby Bryant, singer Anita Bryant and  famed Jimi Hendrix drummer Buddy Miles.

Playing far more band gigs than focusing on his out of state education, he 'hung-up' his horns and enlisted in the USNavy as an air traffic controller for the next 21 years; relocating him to the island of Guam, numerous  airports across America and life aboard naval aircraft carriers at sea.

Afterwards with his maritime experience behind him, Les became a high school Naval ROTC instructor teaching and coaching in the north Georgia mountains for the next 18years.

Some 32 years after storing his saxophones, he missed the many fond memories and decided to begin playing once again with several local bands:

-Winelight

-Town

-Ecstasy

-Beach Boogie Band 

Some of the local spots you may have enjoyed his 'saxercise' include:

Breezy Jazz Cafe, Jazzland, Singletons Seafood, Jazziz, Table One, Southern Grounds, Blue Moon Cafe, Tara’s, Jacksonville Landing Stage, Whiskey Jax, FtGeorge, VFW, Moose Lodge, American Legion posts.

We are excited, as I know you will be too, having Les with us as part of our TSO Combo!